


Our Name in Lights

by ria_green



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Chef! Kagami, F/M, Gen, Identity Reveal, M/M, Model! Aomine, Multi, Oblivious, Stealth Crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-07
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-03-29 11:43:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3895075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ria_green/pseuds/ria_green
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aomine is a supermodel. Kagami is unimpressed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aomine wants basketball shoes, and Kagami wants to open a restaurant. They get what they need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO sorry; I accidentally deleted my story, so this is a repost. Our Name in Lights had just reached 200 kudos too...

It started with shoes.

Not just any shoes - the limited edition Air Jordan V's. Only 200 pairs had ever been manufactured, and the last set on the market went for over three million yen.

Metallic silver and white pearlized leather with a jet-black signature Nike swoosh stitched on the sides - they were the most beautiful sneakers Aomine had ever seen. The moment he discovered the grainy, pixellated images of the Air Jordan V's, he knew he had to have them.

_"Honestly, Dai-chan. You don't even praise your girlfriends that lovingly."_

It wasn't like he couldn't afford them. After all, Aomine Daiki was Japan's top-earning male model. He had come along way since high school, when he could barely manage to scrape together 30,000 yen for his Nike Hyperdunks.

The problem was that everybody who currently owned a pair was refusing to sell them. In a moment of weakness, he had sent increasingly vitriolic messages to the eBay user who dared to post pictures of the Air Jordans and label them as "Not for sale." Aomine may or may not have badgered Momoi to use her stalking skills for good and find him the IP address of the account.

_"Dai-chan, you have three closets full of sneakers! You have a bigger shoe obsession than any woman I know. Do you really need to add another pair to your collection?!"_

She refused and wouldn't let him hire his own hacker either, which left Aomine in his current state - without Air Jordan V's.

It was a sad existence that he could only temporarily assuage by driving his custom electric blue Ferrari far above the speed limit, banging busty gravure idols, and accidentally-on-purpose crashing Kise's show.

_"I told you last week that I was interviewing the calligrapher Handa-kun today. Seriously, you can't go out there. Hey, hey - somebody stop him! Damn it, Aominecchi!"_

If Aomine were honest with himself (which he rarely he was) or the psychoanalyzing sort (like Midorima, which he definitely was not), he might admit that his determined search for the Air Jordan V's really stemmed from a deeper desire to find a sense of purpose in his life.

Aomine was successful. When Kise dragged him into the glittering world of fashion, he had found the industry surprisingly interesting. Not as interesting as basketball used to be, but few things were. Aomine always knew that he would make a living off of his body somehow, even if things didn't turn out the way he initially thought they would. He received rave reviews on his first campaign for his "animal magnetism" and "sculpted body", and that had been that.

Aomine was famous - and hot. Hardly a day went by that he didn't get recognized. Not a surprise, considering that his body was plastered over a giant billboard in the bustling center of Tokyo. Consequently, hardly a week went by that he didn't have a new nubile, young thing hanging off his arm. Momoi referred to them as his girlfriends, but they were more temporary bed partners than anything else.

Aomine was also utterly bored. He had been for a while since the Generation of Miracles broke apart. They still interacted with each other; it would be difficult not to since every single one of them had managed to end up in the industry. But the members of the Generation of Miracles were busy. Moreover, most had paired up over the years despite themselves.

Sometimes Aomine got a pang in his chest that sentimental saps like Momoi might call loneliness.

Nothing had challenged him in a long time. He could trounce most professional basketball players in Japan on the courts, and there wasn't anybody who could come close to him on the runway. Lately, Aomine had been dragging his feet to shoots because he intimidated other models to the point that they could barely pose properly. Perhaps it was more accurate to say that nobody had challenged him in a long time.

But Aomine would never name these feelings for what they were. Instead, he assumed that he just really, really wanted these Air Jordan V's.

_"I've got great news, Dai-chan! Nike is launching a new campaign, and they asked for you specifically! Though Sakurai is your official manager, he should really be the one telling you this - you realize I am perfectly satisfied with my job as a legal investigator? That boy still lets you get away with too much..."_

_"You could stand to look a bit more excited, you know. And don't think you can slink your way out of this one. Guess who the photographer is!"_

_"...oh, you're no fun - you never guess. It's Tetsu-kun!"_

_"Now, guess what Nike is offering as payment for the job. Hint, hint - it's something you've been bugging me about for ages now. Starts with an Air ~ "_

_"That reaction is more like it! Hold on - ack, ack, I need to breathe, Dai-chan! Put me down-!"_

As it turns out, the basketball shoes themselves wouldn't bring Aomine happiness, but they would lead him to somebody who could.

 

 

Thousands of miles away, a man in America sneezed.

"Bless you."

"Ah, thanks. Could you repeat that one more time?"

"Certainly, sir. Your flight from LAX to Haneda Airport is confirmed for April 3rd at 12:50 AM. Will you be needing a return ticket?"

"I don't think so."

"Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

"No, that's everything."

"All right then, we'll see you in April. Thank you again for choosing to fly with us. Have a wonderful day, Mr. Kagami."

Kagami waited until he heard the click on the line and then tossed his cellphone onto the sofa cushion beside him. Until this phone call, it hadn't felt real that he was actually moving.

Japan may have been his country of birth, but America had been his home for the past fifteen years. He was leaving behind his friends, his family, everything that was familiar, and to do what? To open a restaurant in Japan that he hadn't even come up with a name for yet.

As a fellow chef de partie at the French Laundry commented: "Is this your version of a quarter-life crisis? Because I have to tell you, most people don't quit their extremely well-paying job and fly to the other side of the planet. They just buy a nice car - or commit adultery."

That was the general reaction to his news.

The head chef gave him a searching look before murmuring, "If you're sure, Taiga. We'll be sorry to miss you."

Most of his friends expressed a worried sort of sadness, with the notable exception of Alex, who texted, _"Say hi to Tatsuya for me! And buy me some manga. ( ^_^)／."_

His dad informed him that, "In my professional opinion as a consultant, I could not possibly recommend leaving a stable job in order to become an entrepreneur in Japan, especially in the current state of the economy." He then completely contradicted himself by loaning Kagami sixty thousand dollars as an "investment."

As for Kagami, he was fully aware of the insanity of this decision. Frankly, he could barely explain the reasons to himself.

It was an ordinary day at the French Laundry, and Kagami was putting the finishing touches on a dish that cost more than the monthly food expenses for a family of four when he realized, _I don't want to be doing this_.

That night, he drove to the nearest 24-hour In-N-Out and sat in the fluorescent-lit booth for hours. By the time Kagami had consumed every single item on the menu, he had come to a decision.

He was going to open his own restaurant and serve affordable yet delicious comfort food. The salary of saucier chef at French Laundry was substantial, and he was never much one for spending; moreover, he had been lucky in his choice of investments, so he probably had enough money to buy a small storefront.

To determine the location, Kagami ordered three more servings of fries. As he chewed contemplatively, some instinct within him suggested Japan. He thought: Tokyo? And then: Yeah, okay.

The very next week he handed in his one month's notice.

Nobody could accuse him of doing things halfway, that was for sure.

Speaking of giving people notice - Kagami picked up his phone again and began to type.

"Hey Tatsuya..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Current occupations (subject to change):  
> Kagami Taiga: chef  
> Aomine Daiki: model  
> Momoi Satsuki: legal investigator, somehow still managing Daiki's life  
> Sakurai Ryou: official manager of Aomine, his life kind of blows  
> Kuroko Tetsuya: freelance photographer, the king of taking candids, obviously  
> Ryota Kise: former model, currently a popular television personality. think male Tyra Banks  
> Shintaro Midorima: since he can't be an actual doctor, he's an actor who plays the role of a doctor in a cheesy but addicting medical drama  
> Kazunari Takao: Lois Lane, aka doctor sexy's secret "girlfriend"  
> Tatsuya Himuro: the mole just screams high-fashion to me. also - illusions. i'm making him a make-up artist and stylist  
> Atsushi Murasakibara: food critic who only knows how to eat but can't actually cook for shit  
> Seijuro Akashi: authoritative CEO of talent agency/corporation/something big


	2. arrival and homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagami makes his first new friend before the plane to Japan even lands.

Economy airplane seats were uncomfortable enough for normal-sized people.

For giants like the 6'3'' Kagami, they represented a new form of cruel and unusual punishment. After he finished shoving his duffel bag underneath the seat and the woman in front of him reclined her seat, there was zero leg room left. It was a small comfort that he at least had managed to snag the aisle seat.

His hopes that the person sharing the row with him would be dainty and petite were promptly crushed by the appearance of a cheerful dark-haired man. The guy was about average height for an American but relatively tall for a Japanese male. Could've been worse, Kagami supposed.

Unfortunately, Window Seat Dude looked way too chipper for somebody on a red-eye flight. He introduced himself as Kazunari Takao in heavily accented English. In response, Kagami's self-introduction was polite but clipped. To preemptively avoid being roped into a conversation, the redhead donned his headphones and closed his eyes.

 

When he woke up again, the lights in the cabin were on and two-thirds of the flight was already over. There were four or five empty pretzel bags scattered across Takao's tray table. The man paused in his attempts to fold a wrapper into a crane to greet Kagami with a small smile. Kagami nodded in acknowledgement (his facial muscles weren't quite ready to move yet) and went to the lavatory.

He came back to a pathetic scene of Takao humming the Pokemon theme song to cover the sounds of his stomach grumbling. Evidently, the airline still hadn't served breakfast. Though, wasn't it more like dinner at this point with the time difference?

Either way, Kagami felt kind of guilty for ignoring his neighbor. The lady in front had since returned her seat to its upright position, so he was able to yank out his stored bag relatively easily. He reached into its depths and pulled out a wrapped sandwich. One more. And then another.

By the time the bag was empty, there was a veritable mountain of food on his tray and Takao had stopped whistling in order to gape unattractively at him.

"I made too much," Kagami lied. "Want some?"

If dark-haired man had seemed cheerful before, he was positively beaming now. "Yes please!"

Takao inhaled two avocado ham sandwiches and three cinnamon-pecan buns, while he steadily consumed the rest. Kagami could still eat more, but he figured it wouldn't be a good idea to admit so, what with the horrified yet intrigued glances from the people in the diagonal row.

As soon as his mouth was no longer occupied, Takao exclaimed, "That was hands down the best sandwich I have ever eaten! The pastry was also extremely delicious. You said you made everything yourself? Then, Kagami-san must be a professional!"

"I think that's more the spice of hunger speaking than anything else, but yeah, I cook for a living," Kagami replied dryly.

His utterance of a sentence with more than four words seemed to signify willingness to chat. The redhead considered himself a relatively private person, but Takao somehow managed to wrangle all sorts of information out of him in the next hour.

Kagami confessed that he was moving to Tokyo (permanently if things went well) to start a burger shop. He cited a childhood spent in Japan as the reason for his relative fluency in the language, and mentioned that he had once contemplated attending high school there as well. He talked about his fifteen-month stint at the International Culinary Center, almost three years bouncing from apprenticeship to apprenticeship across California, the last two years as a saute chef at the prestigious French Laundry, and the realization that he wanted something different out of his life.

Kagami paused mid-sentence, noticed that his throat felt dry, and abruptly realized that he had been spilling his guts to a total stranger for the last sixty minutes.

"So! Leaving behind any significant others?" Takao inquired innocently.

Kagami eyed his neighbor suspiciously. "Has anybody every told you that you are a really nosy person? And no."

The dark-haired man looked surprised and then grinned wryly.

"Comes with the territory." Takao tapped his nose lightly. "I'm a journalist! We're paid to be nosy and ask interesting people interesting questions. They call me Hawk-Eye back home, you know. That name was a lot cooler before the Avengers movie came out."

Kagami still seemed a little uncomfortable, so Takao added, "Also, I promise I'm not hitting on you. You're a very attractive man, and you can cook, which is like plus a thousand hotness points. But I only recently convinced Shin-chan to date me, and that took nearly a decade. I won't screw that up for anything - or anyone."

Kagami finally relaxed, and for the rest of the flight, Takao regaled him with tales about Shin-chan.

Who, apparently, was not the bipolar schoolgirl with twin tails that Kagami had been imagining but instead was a bipolar man with a strange hair color ("I won't tell you what shade, but it's natural." *wink*) and stranger habits (horoscopes). Takao didn't provide a full name, a profession, or even a physical description, but Kagami still felt like he could write a book on Shin-chan's many obsessions and personality quirks by the end.

They were in the middle of the "specially-made rolling pencil" anecdote when the PA system crackled to life.

_"Please return all seats to their upright positions. We will be landing at Haneda International Airport in 15 minutes. The time is 5:55 PM. It is currently 18 degrees Celsius in Tokyo. We thank you for flying with us."_

For a ten-hour flight, that hadn't been as bad as Kagami was expecting. It probably had to do with the fact that he had been out like a light for the majority of the trip.

Though, the company this time around wasn't too bad.

Takao clearly agreed because he shouted excitedly, "Kagami, we're friends now; let's exchange numbers. We have to hang out again!"

He continued, "Shin-chan's picking me up today. He owns a really nice car, and I'm sure that he won't mind giving you a ride - not if it's Kagami. I'd like to introduce you guys!"

Kagami begged off, partly because he didn't want to third-wheel on what would undoubtedly be a dramatic lovers' reunion but mostly for the legitimate reason that he had already arranged his transportation from the airport.

Takao pouted but had relented with a bubbly, "Keep me posted on the grand opening of your burger shop, Kagamiii!" over his shoulder as they separated.

Oddly enough, he seemed to be heading a different way from everybody else who was disembarking, but Kagami figured that Takao knew more about Japanese airports than he did.

 

As Kagami waited at the luggage claim, he noticed that there appeared to be an unusually large number of women in the building.

Kagami hadn't been in Tokyo since he was a kid, but last he checked, the Japanese population did not consist solely of teenage girls and middle-aged housewives. Two women nearby were whispering fiercely about a Midorima-sensei being spotted, and there was a small mob outside of schoolgirls toting cardboard cutouts of a green-haired bespectacled doctor and heart-studded signs declaring, "Dr. Midorima can give me a check-up any time he wants."

Other comments overheard included:

"I heard he's picking up his secret girlfriend. Ugh, he can't have a girlfriend; it would ruin my life!"

"The photo they posted of him was taken an hour ago. No one knows where he went since, but he must still be here. I wonder who he's waiting for?"

"Did you see the latest episode of GEN:Hospital? It belongs to the "Beautiful Patient with Amnesia" arc. You know, when she has that flashback? And she starts shaking? And he holds her tightly and stares into her confused but expertly mascaraed eyes? So intense!"

Kagami was starting to feel restless when his maroon suitcase finally appeared. He hefted his baggage off the luggage carousel with a grunt and hurried out, glad to be away from the hordes of people. Phone cradled between his ear and shoulder, Kagami scanned the parking lot.

"Hey Tatsuya, where did you say you parked the car?"

 

 

Himuro Tatsuya drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.

He hadn't seen Kagami, really seen him, since they were children. Perhaps there was a good reason for that. The last meeting they had in person resulted in physical violence: not a great prelude to joyful reunion.

It took a while, but they eventually apologized to each other - Kagami for holding back and Himuro for not holding back enough - and kept in close contact through virtual means ever since.

Yet for whatever reason, it was still oddly nerve-wracking to think that he and his "brother" would be in the same country again, share the same space, and breathe the same air.

Currently, Himuro Tatsuya was one of the most sought-after makeup artists and stylists in Japan. He was a fashion icon in his own right, but the one accessory he always wore was The Ring. (Himuro capitalized the words even in his own mind as a nod to its significance.)

In retrospect, it was a startlingly romantic gesture for one preteen boy to make to another. At the time, they had ran around proclaiming their brotherhood, but was it possible that there had been less than platonic feelings involved? He readily admitted that it was.

Nobody had ever made Himuro feel the way Kagami had, for better or for worse. Beautiful men and women graced his company over the years, but they never lasted very long (though he was more classy than Aomine Daiki, of course).

The tabloids made their utterly asinine assumptions, of course. The Ring belonged to a former wife. No, it belonged to an unrequited love. It was passed down from his dead mother, had to be.

The closest they ever got was that The Ring represented a promise. Awfully romantic, everyone agreed. But what a shame that Himuro-san still hasn't moved on. Poor Murasakibara-san, can't win in love when the heart is missing to start.

The first time Himuro heard that particular rumor, he laughed himself silly. It was true that Himuro and Murasakibara were close. The purple-haired manchild probably listened to him more than anybody else in the world except for Seijuro Akashi.

However, Murasakibara would sooner have romantic and sexual feelings for a chocolate cake than a human being. The type of curves he appreciated were on a candy cane, not on a man or a woman.

He allowed the magazines to continue assuming what they wanted, since it kept them occupied to speculate on the "tragic love story" between the former Ace Duo. However, Himuro had the feeling that Kagami's arrival heralded a change in the winds.

A knock on the side window shook him out of his contemplation.

...my, oh my. Kagami Taiga had certainly matured into a fine young man.

As Kagami leaned down to greet him, Himuro caught a flash of silver against a tan neck.

"Oh," he breathed, "it really is so wonderful to see you again, Taiga."

 

 

"This is me," Kagami said, and the convertible slowed to a halt in front of the store.

For the third time in their brief car ride, Himuro pressed, "Are you certain that you don't require any assistance getting settled in?"

"You've already helped me out plenty. Besides, it's a Friday night; I'm sure you have a fancy premiere to attend or a celebrity to beautify."

There was a strange gleam in Himuro's visible eye. "Nothing that I wouldn't skip for you, Taiga."

"Thanks, Tatsuya, but I think I can handle things from here. I'll take you on a tour once I get the place spruced up a bit, okay?"

"As you wish," Himuro uttered, an inscrutable smile curving up his lips.

Damn, but his brother figure grew up hot. No wonder Kagami had a crush on him when they were kids.

Kagami waved until the vehicle was out of sight. Then, he unlocked the door and took a good, long look at his future restaurant.

It wasn't much; the store might be generously described as a fixer-upper. However, it was still absurdly cheap for such a central location. (He hoped it wasn't haunted or something.)

Kagami spun slowly in a circle, examining the space.

The counter needed to be removed, the walls were going to have to be repainted, and the room smelled like sawdust and cobwebs, but Kagami couldn't help but smile.

It was a start. More importantly, it was _his_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I don't know what just happened. I was writing and then - bam! A wild Takao appears, with a side of Midorima cameo. (Personally, I blame Kryzanna's "Beyond the Mistletoe" for making me like MidoTaka) Then, bam again! Stealth HimuKaga feels.  
>  Also, I guess it's my head canon that Murasakibara is ace and Himuro is demiromantic.  
> Let's just go with it for now, shall we?
> 
> Note: Kagami graduated high school at 18, spent a little over a year at a culinary academy, bounced around like a wandering warrior for almost three years, and worked at the French Laundry for the last two years. Soooo, he should be 24 years old. Everyone else is also in their mid-twenties.


	3. take the shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fateful meeting between Aomine and Kagami.

The concept behind the Nike photo shoot was simple. They had set up a miniature half-court indoors, and Aomine and Kris were supposed to be enjoying a friendly game of basketball. Key word: enjoying.

 

 

The long-suffering Kuroko stood between the two models as they screamed at each other and at him. 

"His muscles are just for show! What, were there no actual basketball players available?"

That one was Aomine. Few could meet his impossibly high standards for athleticism, and this "pretty boy" model certainly missed the mark.

"It is not in my contract to be _mauled_ by a brute!"

And that one was Kris-san. Kris-san was also one of Japan's top models, but his fine facial features and toned, slender limbs made him popular with a different demographic. He could handle dynamic sports poses perfectly fine, but going one-on-one with Aomine in a real game was beyond him. 

"I barely touched you - that wasn't even a blocking foul! I can't get fired up with someone who plays like shit."

"All of this?" Kris-san gestured at his body with a flourish. "Is insured for two million yen. You break it, you buy it."

"Who the fuck even says something like that?!"

Kuroko sighed. This was what he got for trying to do a favor for a friend. He couldn't even alleviate his stress by elbowing somebody since Japan had tightened their entertainer abuse laws.

"ARGH! Even Air Jordan V's aren't worth spending another minute with this hack-athlete."

And there Aomine went.

Kris-san screamed at his retreating back, "I never said I was an athlete. I'm a model: M-O-D-E-L!"

The only response Aomine gave was the one-finger salute as he stormed away from the set.

 

 

 

Aomine didn't have a destination in mind when he took off. He just needed to get away from the fake basketball court and the faker basketball player.

Kuroko would give him the "I'm Disappointed in You" face and Momoi would give him the "I'm Disappointed in You" speech, but Aomine would deal with them later.

The model remembered to bring his shades and a hooded sweatshirt with him before exiting the building. At the moment, he really did not want to deal with screaming fans, even if some of them were E-cups.

Aomine eventually slowed his furious pace when he raised his head and no longer recognized his surroundings.

Spotting an abandoned court ahead, he veered left and entered. There didn't seem to be any people around, so he pocketed his sunglasses.

Aomine gazed up at the basketball hoop. The backboard was rusted, and the netting had been torn off long ago, but worst of all was the lack of a ball to play with.

_And I had really_ _wanted to blow off some steam._

Aomine had been standing there for a while, looking at the hoop without really seeing it, when someone called, "Oi!"

_Fuck, did the paps find me already?_

Aomine jerked and quickly turned around.

A tall red-haired man with a sports bag on his shoulder was leaning against the fence.

No camera, Aomine observed. That was always a good sign. There didn't seem to be any recognition on the guy's face either. 

"Yeah, what do you want?" Aomine called back cautiously.

The guy started heading towards him.

What Aomine initially believed to be bright scarlet like Akashi's hair was actually a mixture of two tones, a deep maroon and black. His eyes matched his hair, which - huh. The only people he knew that had that bizarre form of color coordination were the members of the Generation of Miracles.

And what was with the dude's eyebrows?

Aomine was examining the split brows in fascination, so he didn't immediately notice that the guy had taken out a basketball from his sports bag and was attempting to communicate with Aomine.

_Whoops._

The redhead repeated, "Do. You. Play?"

"Do I play." Aomine scoffed. "The only one who can beat me is me."

The guy's face broke into a fierce grin.

(A small voice in Aomine's mind commented that the dude was really good-looking when he smiled, weird eyebrows and all.)

"We'll see about that."

 

 

 

Since arriving in Japan, Kagami had been swamped with tasks.

Opening a restaurant was hard work. There were physical renovations to make, contracts to sign, equipment to purchase - his to-do list never ended.

Kagami hadn't had time to give Himuro the promised tour or to meet up with Takao (who had been sending him variations of " _let's hang out_ " and " _kagamiii, come onnn_ " and " _(T⌓T) it's been weeks, don't you love me anymore???_ ").

He was composing an ingredient list for the opening weekend when the construction started up again downstairs.

Within moments, the noise from the restaurant was so loud that Kagami couldn't concentrate. It was times like these that he regretted having his living space right above his working space. 

_Well, I'm not getting anything else done like this. Maybe I should take a break._

Kagami knew there was a nearby court, so he grabbed his basketball (literally the first purchase he made in Japan besides food and water) and headed out.

Kagami had less opportunity to play basketball after becoming a chef, but he still aimed to practice at least twice a week. Sometimes, members of the UCLA team would deign to visit the street courts, and Kagami and Alex always thrashed them in those occasions, so he was pretty sure he still had it.

When he arrived at the court, there was already someone there.

Kagami hesitated at first, but the guy acted like he would be content to stand stock-still in front of the hoop for who knows how long.

"Oi," Kagami called, and was a little taken aback at how swiftly the man reacted. 

He saw: navy blue hair with matching eyes, tanned caramel skin, and what were definitely powerful muscles underneath the hoodie.

"Yeah, what do you want?" the guy said gruffly.

Kagami stopped right in front of him. "Do you play?"

No response. The guy seemed to be lost in his own world.

Wait, was he staring at Kagami's eyebrows? Oh, come on.

"Do. You. Play?"

The man shook himself out of his eyebrow-induced stupor to declare, "The only one who can beat me is me."

_What the hell does that even mean?!_

Looked like somebody needed to be taken down a notch or two.

Kagami bared his teeth. He would be glad to do the honors.

"We'll see about that."

 

Ten games and seven losses later, Kagami was forced to admit that the guy had the chops to back up his ego.

_Shit. There are professional basketball players who can't play as well as he does!_

Kagami was completely overtaken in the first game and dismissed with a "Your light is dim." That pissed him off so much that he played twice as hard in the next game and executed a completely unnecessary dunk over his opponent's head.

It was perhaps a small thing, but Kagami took pride in the fact that the guy removed his jacket and re-laced his sneakers halfway through the second game. Around the same time, the arrogant boredom in those navy eyes faded and was replaced by grudging respect. 

The blue-haired man entered the Zone in game four, and Kagami followed him two games later. A look of astonishment crossed the man's face. Then, he laughed with exhilaration and shouted, "I take back what I said. You're the best!"

Unfortunately, their competition came to an abrupt end when Kagami's dunk shot broke off the rim of the hoop.

He stared at the circle of metal in his fist. "Crap."

An unfamiliar voice cut in.

"You can contact the municipality to file a damage report. They should send a repairman over within a month."

Kagami whipped his head to the right and noticed a short teen standing right beside them.

"Who the hell -"

The dark-skinned man said incredulously, "Tetsu?"

 

 

 

"Tetsu?"

Kuroko tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Aomine-kun. It is currently 6:08. It has been approximately three hours since you departed."

"Uh, I-"

"Oh shit, it's already _six_? I have to get back!" Aomine's opponent began shoveling his belongings into his sports bag. He paused briefly to shoot a grin at Aomine. "Hey, this was fun. If you live around here, we should do it again."

_What an angelic smile._

His navy-haired friend looked like he had been struck in the head. Kuroko surreptitiously snapped a photo of the scene. 

"Aomine, was it? I'm Kagami." The angelic smile transformed into a devilish smirk. "You should remember that - it's the name of the guy who'll kick your ass next time."

He nodded at Kuroko and then ran off. The two members of the Generation of Miracles watched him leave in bemusement.

When Kagami turned around the corner and was no longer visible, Kuroko finally spoke. "He is a very skilled player."

Aomine muttered, "Not as good as me," but it seemed almost like an afterthought.

Then, "Wait, how did you find me? And when did you get here?"

Kuroko was accustomed to fading into the background, but Aomine had always been the exception. The fact that Aomine hadn't even realized when Kuroko arrived was significant. The last time he had been so engaged in a game was during their time at Teiko.

"I've been here since Kagami-san made the dunk shot. You were quite focused; I'm not shocked that you didn't realize."

"Yeah." Aomine was still staring after the direction that the man had left.

Then, remembering, the model tch-ed with annoyance. "Guess I'm not getting my shoes after all. That stupid prissy boy."

Kuroko hummed enigmatically.

"Oh, I don't know about that. I think that we got _just_ the shot we needed."


	4. a hunger and a thirst

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Murasakibara is the worst (uninvited) guest. Aomine is pining.

"The food battle show starts filming at three o'clock, so we should have just enough time to stop by at the hotel. After that we need to - Murasakibara, are you even listening to me?"

"Um...." The purple-haired man pondered for a moment. "I'm not."

He could hear his manager grinding his teeth in the driver's seat. It was worrying. At this rate, Kensuke wasn't going to be able to chew those steaks he liked so much anymore. 

Gazing absently out at the scenery rushing by, Murasakibara picked at the name tag on his chest from the last event. Suits were so uncomfortable, even if they were personally selected by Himuro Tatsuya. 

Himuro Tatsuya, who had acted  _ve-ry_ strangely during their last meet-up. The two men had been teammates and friends for long enough that Murasakibara could see through Himuro's poker face. During their lunch, the former shooting guard of Yosen had kept checking his phone. Furthermore, he looked unusually pleased for a man generally so composed. And the two of them weren't the type to discuss personal lives, so Murasakibara couldn't even ask him why.

_Weird, weird, Muro-chin is being weird._

At the sound of Murasakibara ripping open another candy wrapper, Kensuke sighed. "You're going to ruin your appetite before we even get to the set."

"I won't," he denied, "I'm always hungry."

And speaking of hunger, what was that _delicious_ smell wafting through the side window? 

"Stop the car," he ordered.

His manager shot him an incredulous look through the rear-view mirror. "Are you crazy? There is a schedule, you have appointments, you -"

The purple-haired man unbuckled his seat-belt and was now trying to open the car door.

"You - aren't listening to me. God, I should have never accepted the position as your manager," Kensuke pulled the SUV over. "Where are you going? You've never even been to this neighborhood!"

Halfway out of the vehicle already, Murasakibara answered, "Dunno yet, but I'll be back soon. Probably." He cut off his manager's protests with the slam of the door.

Now, where was the tasty scent of food coming from?

 

 

 

Kagami whistled as he expertly toasted the sesame seed buns.

He had finished the managerial tasks for the restaurant early today and was rewarding himself by testing some recipes in his brand new kitchen. The construction downstairs had finally finished. Only the ventilation system wasn't ready yet, so he had propped the door open slightly. 

He took a bite of his latest attempt at a veggie burger and chewed thoughtfully. It was good, but there was still something missing. 

_More chickpeas and less quinoa? And smoked gouda instead of the brie, I think._

Kagami was still contemplating options when he heard the bell jingle. He probably should have put up a sign or something to keep people out.

"Not open," he called from behind the counter.

There was a pause, before heavy footsteps continued into the store.

"Oi. I said that we're closed!" he yelled, before gaping at the appearance of the tallest guy he had ever seen.

The man had shoulder-length _lavender_ hair (what the hell?) slicked back into a ponytail, was clad in a suit that probably cost more than Kagami's old monthly salary, and had just seated himself at Kagami's counter. Squinting, the chef noticed the name tag clipped to the lapel of the suit. "Murasakibara? Listen, the store isn't open for business yet. Come back in a few weeks."

Murasakibara blinked and then pointed behind him at the ajar door.

"I know the door is open, but like I said, we're not accepting any customers," said Kagami impatiently.

The man took out his wallet. "I can pay you. How much do you want?" he said in a slow, deep voice and stared expectantly at the scarlet-eyed chef.

"That's not how things work."

But Murasakibara sat unmoving.

Kagami exhaled. "You're not going to leave until I feed you, are you."

Grumbling, he prepared another burger.

Kagami plated the dish roughly, shoving it towards the stubborn giant. "It's free, if you'll leave and stop bothering me."

The purple-haired man examined the slider, then noted with trepidation: "There are carrots in this."

Kagami rolled his eyes. "Wow, observant. I'm working on a recipe for a vegetarian burger."

"I hate carrots," Murasakibara insisted. "Make me something else."

"You're not exactly in a position to be making demands! Just eat it."

"I don't want to anymore."

_Of all the ungrateful-_

"Eat it!"

"No," the purple-haired manchild said stubbornly.

 _This guy is so immature!_  

Suddenly, an idea came to Kagami.

_I wonder..._

"Okay, fine. You don't have to do anything that you don't want to." Kagami shrugged, seemingly giving in. "I mean, since you're so _scared_ of eating vegetables."

Violet eyes narrowed. "I'm not scared."

_Gotcha._

He pushed the plate forward and smirked. "Prove it."

Glaring, Murasakibara took a large bite. And then another.

Within seconds, he had scarfed down the entire burger. He was almost as quick at eating as Kagami was.

Grudgingly, the purple-haired man remarked, "It's good." He held out the empty plate. "Another."

"I swear to God, I will throw you out of this yet unnamed establishment -"

"You should try using a different cheese though."

Kagami eyed the giant. "...hm, you've got pretty good taste buds."

For the next quarter hour, the two men discussed different recipe variations. Though, they were occasionally side-tracked. 

Murasakibara was poking his split brows (the bastard was tall enough that he could actually reach over the counter to do so whilst still seated) and Kagami was bellowing, "What is it with you people and my eyebrows?" when the Oompa Loompa song began playing.

_Uh..._

The purple-haired man took the ringing cellphone out of his breast pocket and - simply looked at it.

"Shouldn't you get that?"

"Don't want to."

A frustrated "Just do it!"

Murasakibara gave the phone one last apprehensive glance before answering.

Seconds later, the chef winced in sympathy. Despite being two feet away, he could hear the other person on the line loud and clear. Emphasis on the loud.

The purple-haired man pulled the phone away from his ear.

_"MURASAKIBARA. YOU GET BACK IN THE CAR RIGHT NOW, OR I SWEAR ON MY MOTHER'S CREMATED ASHES, I WILL CALL AKASHI. THAT'S RIGHT, I AM CURRENTLY LESS SCARED OF HIM THAN I AM PISSED AT YOU. COME BACK. NOW."_

"Sheesh, sheesh, I'm coming." He pointed accusingly at Kagami. "Listen, you're a pretty good cook. I'll be back."

The red-haired man waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I'm flattered. Come back when we're actually open."

"Also, you should probably name your restaurant soon." Murasakibara perked up. "Ooh, maybe the name can have something to do with your freakish eyebrows?"

"Get. Out."

 

 

 

 

In a nearby court, Aomine was staring despondently at a rimless basketball hoop. He had snuck out a few times to come here, but Kagami was never around and playing alone kind of sucked. And the damn hoop was still broken.

Enough was enough. It was time for his last resort. 

He took a deep breath and dialed Momoi's number.

_"Dai-chan, where are you? Your manager has been searching all over the place; you have a commercial to film in two hours!"_

Aomine winced at the shrill voice emanating from the speaker. "Satsuki, I need you to do something for me."

_"The nerve of you!"_

"I promise I'll be on time for the next three days. And I won't even try give Ryo the slip."

_"...make it the next week, and you've got a deal."_

"Done."

_"Fine, what is it?"_

"I need you to get a city maintenance order bumped up. A basketball court on..." He squinted at the street corner. "4th and Sakura Avenue."

He continued, "And I want you to stalk - I mean search for - a guy named Kagami. He's about my size, and he has these weird eyebrows?"

_"You must really think highly of my abilities if you think I can do something with that."_

"Come on, Satsuki."

_"Luckily, it just so happens that somebody has already asked me to find your man, and he gave a more descriptive profile."_

"What? I mean - who?"

_"Tetsu-kun. Something about needing an address to deliver a check."_


	5. interlude: the vanishing man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Negotiations, gossip, and trickery: all in a day's work for Kuroko Tetsuya.

Momoi stated their rules of engagement as soon as she sat down at the booth. "Breakfast first, then business."

"Of course," Kuroko acknowledged. 

The pair proceeded to enjoy a leisurely meal; they had the time to do so, after all. As a freelance photographer, Kuroko largely constructed his own agenda; similarly, Momoi's schedule consisted of concentrated but brief periods of investigative work. They couldn't afford to meddle in Aomine's life as much as they did otherwise.

Momoi waited until the waiter was out of earshot to slap a plain manila folder onto the cleared table. Kuroko reached over, but she swiftly drew the file out of his reach.

"Oh no you don't. First, tell me what's going on."

Kuroko pressed his hand to his chest as if injured. "Momoi-san, you never used to treat me like this back in high school."

"Ah, but I was young and infatuated then."

He chuckled. "I didn't deserve you then or now. Speaking of, how is that swimmer boyfriend of yours?"

" _Makoto_ is doing well, thank you very much," she emphasized. "Why you all insist on referring to him as my 'swimmer boyfriend' I'll never understand."

Kuroko deadpanned, "I suppose we assumed you would end up dating a basketball player, considering your history."

"Ha! It's because of my history that I know better. Now, stop trying to use your misdirection on me. Explain why Dai-chan _voluntarily_ promised to be punctual for the next week if I researched this Kagami."

_Aomine-kun did that? He really is serious._

So, Kuroko told her how Aomine had stormed off the set of the photoshoot ("After all the work we did to find him those Air Jordans?!"), that he had tracked down the unruly model to a basketball court several blocks away, and about the basketball showoff between the two men ("Are you certain that this man managed to beat Dai-chan?" "I am. He is as good or as better than the Generation of Miracles.").

Momoi murmured, "So Dai-chan has finally met his match."

She was getting misty-eyed, so Kuroko pulled out his precious Nikon D4 to show her a video from that day.

"He looks so happy!" Momoi immediately squealed.

After a few more minutes of ooh-ing and aah-ing, she straightened up.

"Alright Tetsu-kun, you've held up your end of the bargain. Here's mine." The pink-haired woman deposited the file into Kuroko's hands. 

As he shuffled through the materials, she narrated.

"Taiga Kagami. As you guessed, he's a recent returnee from the United States. He moved to Los Angeles, California when he was thirteen. He attended Westchester High School, where he led the boy's team to the state championships for three consecutive years. UCLA and Berkeley made recruiting attempts, but he turned them both down for culinary school."

Kuroko flipped from the high school tournament rankings to a magazine clipping. A familiar scarlet-eyed man was glowering at a creme brulee on the glossy page. The headline of the article read, "Top 10 Chefs to Watch."

"Kagami-san is quite the talented chef! He won the Rising Star award in 2010, and his last job was saucier chef at the French Laundry - a prestigious position at an even more prestigious restaurant. He applied for a food service establishment permit a few months ago, so it's likely that he is opening his own restaurant in Tokyo."

She tapped a circled portion of the paper. "The address of restaurant. Second floor livable quarters also purchased by one Taiga Kagami, so _that_ is where you should find your man."

"You are a wonder, Momoi-san," Kuroko said solemnly, slipping the folder into his backpack.

She sniffed. "And don't you forget it."  

 

 

A clumsily penned "CLOSED: DO NOT COME IN" was taped to the entrance. However, the door was slightly ajar and Kuroko could hear bustling from inside the restaurant.

He reasoned to himself that it wasn't breaking and entering if the entrance was unlocked and the person was actually at home.

The door jingled as Kuroko pushed it open, and the rhythmic chopping slowed to halt. 

A red-haired man stepped out from the kitchen and cocked his head. "Hello? Is someone there?"

Kuroko stepped into his line of sight. "Good morning, Taiga Kagami."

" _Jesus Christ._ "  

In an impressive display of jumping power, the man hopped at least two feet and nearly hit his head on a hanging lamp.

"Good morning," Kuroko repeated patiently. 

"Uh, morning." The befuddled chef rubbed his head painfully. "Wow, I did not see you there. Listen, kid - this restaurant isn't open for business yet."

The photographer blinked and pointed at the way he entered. 

"Yeah, smartass, I know the door was unlocked. But I also posted a 'Closed' sign, so I feel like that says more about my intentions than anything else."

Kuroko widened his already large eyes. He had it on good authority (Momoi's) that it made him look like a defenseless woodland creature. Given the fact that Kagami had called him "kid," there was a good chance that the chef thought he was younger than he was and that he could get away with a bit more.

It worked.

Averting his gaze from the lethal puppy-dog eyes, Kagami mumbled, "Shouldn't you be in class or something? Go learn about - algebra or something."

Kuroko couldn't help but feel slightly offended. He had used his innocent looks to his advantage more than a few times in the past. By now though, he was twenty-four years old. To still be mistaken for a minor at this age...

"I am not a high school student," he stated irritably.

The chef rolled his eyes. "College, then. Same difference."

_Well, I suppose I could go along with his misconceptions for now._

Kuroko widened his eyes even further and said guilelessly, "But I have something very important to ask of you."

The chef muttered something under his breath that sounded like, "Does nobody in Tokyo understand the concept of trespassing?", but eventually he sighed and said, "Okay, shoot."

"I was there the other day with Daiki Aomine. He's an old friend of mine." Kuroko saw a spark of recognition in the scarlet eyes and quickly added, "Aomine-kun is not a college student; he has a job nearby."

He took a photo release form out from his backpack. "You two were quite captivating during your game, and I took a few pictures. I was wondering if I could have your permission to use your likeness?" 

"What for?" Kagami inquired apprehensively.

"For...an exhibit of sorts." The blue-haired man was the perfect portrait of innocence. "You would, of course, be compensated fairly. The original model was supposed to get a 40% cut of the payment."

The tension disappeared.

Kagami chuckled and accepted the form. "Nah, it's no problem. Just - don't put my name in lights or anything."

Kuroko allowed his hair to be ruffled for a moment before moving away. "Kagami-san, I must insist. Your share should be delivered within a week."

Kagami seemed to have made the decision to humor him. "Sure, kid. God knows opening a restaurant in Tokyo isn't cheap."

The photographer smiled triumphantly. "Excellent. Sign your name below, and initial here, here, and here."

"Wow, universities these days really want you to cover all your bases, huh?" Kagami commented but signed the papers without further protest.

"Hey, stop by this place in a few weeks, alright? I'll treat you to a burger, and you can hang your photo up on the wall."

Kuroko couldn't help but feel touched by the offer. The chef really was a good person, albeit a bit rough in manners.

That didn't stop the photographer from feeling vindicated back in his office as he triumphantly added zero after zero to his substitute model's check.

Kris-san, status as an athlete notwithstanding, was a top model, and top models got paid appropriately.

Kuroko only wished that he could see Kagami's face when he opened the envelope with the check in a week. 

_We'll see if he still thinks I'm a child then._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As for how many zeros there are on Kagami's check, I will direct you to a well-known 1990 quote by supermodel Linda Evangelista: "I don't get out of bed for less than $10,000 a day." Let's assume that's true for our models here. And add inflation.


	6. you /shall/ go to the ball: part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cinderella goes to the ball with a prince. Or is it his fairy godmother?

"Hey, it's Taiga."

"Who? Taiga - the name sounds familiar, like somebody I _used_ to know."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry for not contacting you until now."

"No. It's...understandable. I wish you had called me sooner, but I know how occupied you've been with preparations for the grand opening of -"

Kagami finished sheepishly, "Of my soon to be named restaurant?" He heard soft snort threaded with equal parts amusement and fondness and could imagine Himuro shaking his head wherever he was.

"Only you."

"But things are slowing down," Kagami insisted. "I'll be ready to open in a few weeks!"

"I suppose it will be another few weeks until we see each other in person then," Himuro concluded with some disappointment.

"Nah, we should hang out sooner. Are you doing anything this Thursday?"

"As a matter of fact, I have a dinner reception on Thursday evening. I would cancel, but there are some people that would be rather upset if I didn't show up."

"Oh. Never mind. I mean, the only thing I had planned was shooting some hoops and watching a movie or something."

"I never said no, did I?" Himuro cleared his throat dramatically. "Kagami Taiga, would you do the honor of being my plus one to a 'fancy schmancy red-carpet premiere?'"  

"Depends, do I have to wear a suit?"

"I'll pick you up Thursday afternoon for a fitting," Himuro responded.

"I doubt I can afford one of your outfits."

"You probably can't, which is why I will be the one footing the bill."

Before Kagami could protest, Himuro plowed on, "Think of it this way - I'm a stylist; what would people think of my professional abilities if my date were the worst-dressed one there?"

"Tatsuya..."

"Thursday at 3, Taiga. I'm looking forward to it."

_Click._

Kagami stared bemusedly at his phone for a second, then raked his hand through his hair roughly.

"Goddamnit."

 

 

 

"I thought you were a makeup artist and a stylist, not a fashion designer." 

Himuro looked up through his lashes from his kneeling position. "What, am I not allowed to have hidden talents now?"

Kagami huffed irritably. "You know that's not it. I kind of pictured an old Italian dude as the one doing the tailoring. Isn't this...kind of weird?" He gestured awkwardly towards the hand that was coming perilously close to a very sensitive area.

"I'm measuring your inseam, Taiga. The situation is only as 'weird' as you make it." Kagami made a face at that, so Himuro continued teasingly, "I would more than happy to obtain a venerable Italian gentleman for you, if it would put you at ease." 

"Ha-fucking-ha," Kagami grumbled in response.

The stylist got up off the floor, brushing his pants. "Luckily, there's no need for any adjustments. My prior estimations of your measurements were quite accurate." 

"Oh, is that why you were staring at me like a creeper at the airport?" Kagami asked sardonically.

Himuro hummed. "Thanks to that comment, you will be wearing makeup tonight."

"Hell no!" Kagami scooted away and was immediately yanked back into place.

"Just a little kohl to highlight your eyes, don't worry," Himuro said soothingly.

He pulled out a thin, pointed cylinder. A pencil?

"What are you going to do with that? Write on me?"

"...so many things you need to learn, Taiga. So many things."

After "torturing his eyeballs", as Kagami phrased it, Himuro dabbed some rouge onto Kagami's slightly parted lips before he could react.

"Hey, you promised-!"

Himuro spun him around to face a full-length mirror. 

"I - huh." Kagami squinted at his reflection. "Is that really me?"

"You are the same person you were three hours ago," the makeup artist promised, surveying his work with deep satisfaction.

The chef touched the cool glass wonderingly. "I don't think anyone would even recognize me like this. Hell, I don't recognize myself."

The man in the mirror was dangerously attractive.

A three-piece charcoal suit hugged his body closely, highlighting broad shoulders that gradually tapered to narrow hips and long legs. His hair was pushed back for a more elegant appearance, and the effect of the bronze kohl lining his eyes was positively smouldering. His crisp collared shirt was just unbuttoned enough to reveal the hint of a silver chain.

Himuro caught Kagami's eye in the mirror.

"I think you give yourself too little credit, Taiga," he murmured. "I have only polished what was already a glorious gem to sparkle a little more brightly."

''I think you're the amazing one for being able to say that with a straight face," Kagami muttered.

However, the tips of his ears matched the color of his eyes, so Himuro thought it was fair to consider this a small victory.

 

 

 

 

Kagami was fidgeting. Of course he was fidgeting.

He was sitting in a limousine. A limousine on the way to a red carpet. A red carpet for the premiere of a wide release motion picture.

It was finally hitting him that his childhood friend was famous. Like, really famous. And as his "plus one" Kagami would probably be subject to the same attention.

_How is this my life?_

Himuro was the observant type, so he soon noticed Kagami's unease. He said quietly, "I won't be offended if you choose not to step out of this car with me."

The look on his face was resigned, and _hell no_ was Kagami letting that stand. Kagami pushed down his anxiousness and smirked confidently. "Who do you think I am? There's no way I'm backing out now."

"Taiga-"

"Besides," he went on, "you shouldn't call this a car. Call it what it is - a limo. There's only two of us, three if you count the driver. Don't you think renting a stretch limo was a little overkill?"

Finally, the strained look on Himuro's face disappeared to be replaced with fond exasperation. "It's for appearances, Taiga. Don't think that I don't realize what you're trying to do."

Kagami shrugged, unrepentant.

The stylist's voice shifted into a business-like tone. "Now, remember, the paparazzi will shout a lot of questions at you, but you don't have to answer them. You don't even have to tell them your name. You can simply be - how will they put it - my mysterious, silent, ruby-eyed companion."

Kagami wrinkled his nose. "God, I hope they can come up with a better description than _that_."

They pulled to a stop in front of the red carpet. Despite the tinted windows, Kagami could see the numerous flashing cameras awaiting them outside.

Himuro touched his knee. "Are you ready?"

Kagami took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. Eyes glinting with determination, he declared, "Let's do this."

As they exited the car, Kagami was immediately overwhelmed with sensory input. The lights were blinding and the shouted questions deafening. The only thing that kept him moving forward was Himuro's guiding hand on his lower back.

"Himuro-san! Himuro-san!"

"Who's that with you?"

"What happened to Murasakibara-san?"

"Is this your new lover?"

The two men didn't slow to pose for photographs or answer questions. However, when they had almost reached the building, Himuro deigned to throw the reporters a bone.

He straightened Kagami's collar, exposing a hint of collarbone and the silver necklace. "You'll have to excuse us. My partner has always been the shy type." And then _winked_ at the stunned photographers.

Similarly shocked, Kagami stopped squinting at the lights momentarily and stared at the dark-haired man instead.

_What?_

The noise of the crowd rose to dull roar. Fortunately, by then the two men had already slipped through the entrance.

"Please tell me we don't have to go through that again when we leave," Kagami said once they were inside.

Himuro laughed.

"I'm sure we'll think of something."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this rate, I might actually have to warn for HimuKaga. Himuro really, really wants to have Kagami. Maybe we should let him - for a bit.
> 
> Short, I know, but the next chapter features the actual "ball", with the first appearances of Midorima and Kise!


	7. you /shall/ go to the ball: part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takao isn't even here, and he's making Kagami's life difficult. 
> 
> Kise finds everything hilarious. Midorima doesn't.

A blond man accosted Himuro and Kagami as soon as they walked into the foyer.

"Himuro! Thank goodness you decided to come. Tetsu ditched me at the last minute. He's still working on that Nike campaign of his; he won't let me see any of it! Midoricchi is here, but he won't be fun at all to be around tonight. He's super grumpy because he's been separated from his lover for the longest time since they first got together. It's actually kind of cute if you think about it. And - oh, who's this?"

Kagami had unconsciously taken a step aback from the talkative hazel-eyed man.

"Good to see you too, Kise," Himuro said drily. "This is Kagami Taiga, my plus one for tonight. He's a recent returnee from the United States."

"Oooh." Kise peered into rapidly blinking scarlet eyes. "Nice to meet you, Kagami, I'm Kise; you might know me from my talk show, Kise's Corner. No? Goodness, what do they teach you in America? I also had a cameo as the fairy king in this movie. Anyway, I'm curious - is your eye color natural? Where in the United States are you from? New York? I've been to New York. How long are you going to stay in Japan? What do you do for a living? Are you Himuro's date? Or are you his _date_?"

Kagami took a minute to sort through the mass of words. "Uh, yes, Los Angeles, indefinitely, I cook; I'm opening my own restaurant. And Tatsuya and I are friends, we go way back."

The blond opened his mouth to ask more questions, but thankfully, Himuro intervened. "Kise, why don't we go greet the director together? Kagami, you can go ahead into the dining room. Sit anywhere you like; we'll be along in a few minutes."

The red-haired man knew an escape route when he was offered one. With a few long strides, he was out of the room.

Kise pouted. "I wanted to talk to him more."

"You wanted to talk _at_ him more, you mean," Himuro corrected.

A mischievous smile. "Isn't that the same thing?"

 

 

 

Inside the dining hall, people had already started grouping together. Everybody appeared to be well-dressed, perfectly coiffed, and way too fancy for Kagami to approach.

He stood awkwardly for a minute before noticing that there were several empty seats further into the room.

At the very end, a green-haired man was alone at a table. Several women seemed like they wanted to go closer, but his glower seemed to be scaring off them from going near him.

However, Kagami was immune. He had received worse glares from Alex when he accidentally insulted her taste in anime.

And so the chef plopped right next to bespectacled man, who gave him a truly withering stare before turning away imperiously.

Kagami gave him his own once-over and noticed an incongruous plastic frog clipped to the man's lapel. The frog reminded him of something, but he couldn't remember what. For some reason, the horoscopes predictions that he had overheard on the car radio came to mind. Apparently, the lucky item of the day for the Leo was a circular object, and his sign was predicted to "meet a handsome stranger." He couldn't imagine that anybody would actually believe that bullshit.

Something niggled in his mind, but Kagami decided to dismiss it.

_It's probably a fashion statement. I don't really get it, though? Probably Tatsuya would understand.  
_

And so they sat in silence, Kagami surveying the room and his companion boring holes into the tablecloth with his gaze. As the tables filled up, two brave souls finally sat down at the table but left a noticeable gap, eyeing the green-haired man nervously. He opened his mouth once to order a red-bean soup from a waiter, and the couple nearly knocked over the table in surprise.

Kagami was wondering if he should move somewhere else after all when Himuro and Kise showed up at last. The couple seemed relieved at their appearance, and the two men greeted them graciously in return.

Himuro pulled out the chair directly across from Kagami.

"Forgive me, I've neglected you," he said quietly and then raised his voice. "Let me introduce you to everyone properly."

The stylist addressed the small table.

"Everyone, this is Kagami Taiga, my childhood friend and a recent returnee from the United States. You've already met Kise, our fairy queen - sorry, king. This is Mrs. Sawayoshi and her husband; she was the genius in charge of set design." He gestured at the mysterious green-haired man at the end of the table.

"And I'm sure you don't need an introduction for - " 

Suddenly, several puzzle pieces clicked in Kagami's mind.

"Takao Kazunari's boyfriend," he realized. "Nice to meet you."

Kagami stuck out a hand. And waited.

"You _are_ Takao's boyfriend, right?" he said slowly. "The lucky item for Cancers today is a plastic frog, and you're wearing that clip of yours. Plus, you ordered red bean soup - he said that was your favorite drink. Also, Takao mentioned that his boyfriend has unusual coloring, and that shade of green usually comes in grass, not hair."

The members of the table stared at Kagami incredulously.

"And...I must have the wrong person. Never mind."

Kagami was awkwardly retracting his hand when the green-haired man finally shifted.

He pushed up his glasses, the light glinting off the lenses.

"No, you are correct; I am indeed, as you say, 'Takao's boyfriend.' I was simply surprised. I'm afraid that I am unaccustomed to being referred to as such."

Wait, was this that thing where you weren't supposed to refer to people in terms of their relationships to other people?

Kagami hastily backpedaled.

"I mean, I know you're not _just_ Takao's boyfriend. You're... your own person with an independent identity...and stuff."

He chanced a look, but those green eyes were completely unreadable. "It's just that he never actually told me your full name, and I'm guessing you don't really want me calling you Shin-chan?"

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kise curling up in laughter.

"Cease your braying, Kise," the green-haired man said sharply and extended a bandaged hand. "Midorima Shintaro. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."

Kagami leaned over to shake hands. "Kagami Taiga, likewise. By the way, how's Takao been doing? He hasn't texted me in a while."

"Yes, he is out of the country on an assignment. It is a rural location without service or access to the Internet."

Kagami hadn't known Midorima for very long, but he could tell that Takao's boyfriend was more unhappy than usual. "You must miss him then."

Midorima shifted uncomfortably. "Well. Yes."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Kagami made a final attempt to rescue the conversation.

"So, uh, what exactly did you do for the film?"

At Midorima's blank stare, he clarified, "Like for the movie. I know Kise was the fairy king or something and Tatsuya did special effects. How about you?"

Silence again.

Himuro was pinching his nose bridge. "You forgot to look up the film, didn't you."

Kagami rubbed his neck. "Er, is it that obvious?"

"Taiga." The stylist looked up at the ceiling, as if asking for patience from the heavens. "Midorima is the main protagonist of the franchise."

"...good to know," said Kagami and decided it was an apt time to stop talking.

The Sawayoshi couple smoothly began a discussion with Himuro on the symbolic use of colors in the costumes and set. Midorima went back to glaring lasers through the silverware, and Kagami let his gaze wander over the room again.

Kise whispered, "I am so glad I decided to sit at this table."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some suspension of belief might be necessary for Kagami's miraculous recognition of Midorima, but it was a cute scene and I wanted it to happen.


	8. found you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagami feeds a stray panther.

Himuro sent him a link to a tabloid article. The title read, "Fashion icon Himuro Tatsuya spotted with mysterious, ruby-orbed companion."

Himuro had highlighted the "mysterious, ruby-orbed" part and written, _Told you so._

Kagami, with no small misgivings, clicked on the link.

The article discussed the flash of silver seen by photographers at the premiere on Kagami's neck and surmised that it was the matching set to Himuro's necklace. The writer concluded that Kagami was clearly Himuro's long-estranged soulmate, that the ring represented a promise that their love would be eternal, and that the two of them would be getting married relatively soon. She grudgingly admitted that she had been unable to identify Himuro's plus-one but speculated that he was a model or actor from overseas. At the end of the article, she urged anyone with information about the mysterious man to come forward.

As the mysterious man, Kagami was very, very grateful that the makeover had rendered him nearly unrecognizable. 

He lingered on the photograph accompanying the article, in which Himuro adjusted Kagami's collar with a wicked grin on his face.

Kagami had to admit, they really did look like a couple. Though really, did the paparazzi even consider that the rings could be friendship rings rather than engagement rings?

He texted Himuro: _I think you're supposed to tell people *before* you start dating them._

Himuro immediately responded: _Silly Taiga, we aren't dating - we're engaged.  
_

Kagami snorted out loud. He typed: _Then y_ _ou're the worst fiancee I've ever had._

Himuro sent: _I can see this is already turning into a toxic relationship._ And then: _Didn't you say you were going to start interviewing potential employees at 9:00?_

The chef had realized a week ago that he couldn't cook, serve the food, collect money, and clean up all by himself and decided to hire one or two people to help him out. He was surprised at the amount of people interested in the job but had managed to narrow it down to seven applicants.

Kagami checked the time - it was 8:55 AM.

He winced. It probably wouldn't make a good impression to be late to the interview, even if he was the one interviewing and not being interviewed for once.

Kagami hurried downstairs and not a moment too soon, since he immediately heard a knock.

He took a moment to appreciate that not everybody in Tokyo barged into his restaurant (just most people, apparently), then opened the door.

 

 

Three and a half hours later, Kagami had finished interviewing the last applicant.

He leaned back in his chair thoughtfully.

All of the applicants were pretty qualified, but the two that particularly stood out in his mind were Koushi Sugawara and Suzuna Taki. Both had made him forget that he was even running an interview.

Sugawara possessed an unnaturally soothing personality; it was going to be great for customer service. Interviewing him felt more like chatting with an amiable friend. Yet he also seemed to be an organized, intelligent, and hardworking person. Kagami learned that Sugawara was a third-year at Jundai University studying sports medicine and that in high school, he was the alternate setter for the team that won the volleyball inter-high competition.

In comparison, Suzuna was energetic, bouncy, and loud. She came into the interview wearing rollerblades, struck a pose, and said, "Ya! Suzuna-chan will now be presenting a practical demonstration of her waitressing skills." She then took several trays from the counter and skated all around the restaurant placing a tray at each table in no time at all.

Kagami's first reaction was relief that he had decided to spring for the wood flooring. His second reaction was to say, "Hey, that was pretty impressive."

Suzuna struck another pose. "When I'm not coaching the Saikyoudai University cheerleading squad or going on dates with my super-cool American football player boyfriend, I skate."

Before leaving, the girl mentioned, "By the way, future boss, you should probably check your mailbox once in a while - it's overflowing."

Well, Suzuna was a character for sure.

Kagami was still contemplating between the two when his stomach decided to growl. And of course, today was the day that he ran out of ingredients.

Grumbling, he pushed open the door, eco-friendly grocery bag on his shoulder - and was confronted with the sight of a dark-skinned man nervously pacing in front of the store.

"Can I help you?"

 

 

 

_Aomine Daiki does not do nervous._

If Aomine repeated that to himself enough times, maybe it would finally stick. For some reason, his hands were sweaty, his throat was tight, and his face was hot.

Aomine wasn't meeting anybody famous or particularly intimidating, so why was he so nervous?

It was only Kagami Taiga, a cook who was relatively decent at basketball.

And that was all that Aomine was here for - a match. He would kick Kagami's ass and then go back to his fabulously wealthy and exciting life.

Yes, that was a good plan. He would knock on the door, pretend it was a coincidence, and force Kagami to play basketball with him.

In fact, it probably wasn't even nerves. Maybe Aomine was coming down with a cold or something. A cold - in June. It made more sense than the other possible theory.

"Can I help you?"

Aomine whipped around to face the skeptical-looking man. "Er, hey. I was, uh, in the neighborhood and -"

"You're Kuroko's friend, right?" Kagami asked. "He already visited me."

Wait, why had Kuroko visited Kagami? Was this a conspiracy between Kuroko and Momoi? What was going on?

Aomine's plans immediately escaped his mind; he opened his mouth but nothing came out.

Kagami spotted the basketball tucked under Aomine's arm. "Oh, I see! You're here to get your ass kicked for the second time."

Aomine was capable of speech again. Outraged, he declared, "I think you're confused about whose ass is going to get the pounding!"

Kagami looked vaguely shocked for a moment before snickering. "Don't you think you should buy me a drink first?"

While the navy-haired model was trying to sort that phrase out, he added: "And sorry, but I'm headed for the grocery store right now. We can play another time if you want."

"I'll come with you!" Aomine blurted. It had taken so long for him to finally catch Kagami at the right time; he wasn't going to let the man out of his sight.

Kagami raised a split eyebrow. "I guess that works too. Have you eaten lunch yet?"

Now that he mentioned it, Aomine had been so out of it today that he hadn't. "No?" 

"What are you hungry for then?" Kagami inquired, gesturing for Aomine to follow him.

The dark-skinned man was confused enough that he did.

Aomine answered slowly, "I like teriyaki burgers."

"I can do that."

 

 

At some point, things had gotten out of Aomine's control.

For God's sake, he was shopping in a _convenience store_. The model had gotten mobbed a few years ago in a Seven Eleven by fans, and ever since, Ryou had been the one to pick up his daily necessities: food, porn mags, sports drinks, condoms, etc.

Fortunately, this supermarket was relatively empty, and the only cashier, an old grandma, wasn't likely to recognize him. Nevertheless, Aomine tugged his hood lower.

"Aomine, grab three bulbs of garlic," Kagami ordered.

He bristled. Who did Kagami think he was to be ordering _Aomine Daiki_ around? "Grab it yourself."

"Sure, then make lunch yourself," replied the chef, not even turning around.

_Damn it._

Aomine grabbed the garlic.

An hour and a half later, he was forced to admit that it was worth it.

"This is the best teriyaki burger I've ever had," he said with his mouth full.

Kagami seemed to understand him anyway. The chef smiled. "Yeah? Maybe I'll add it to my regular menu."

Aomine swallowed. "Sure, name it the Aomine special."

"I think you need to be famous before people start naming things after you" was the retort.

Aomine wasn't sure how to feel about Kagami still not recognizing him. On one hand, he wanted to brag and say, "Good thing that you've got the top model in Japan sitting here then." On the other hand, it was kind of nice that he knew for certain that Kagami didn't have any ulterior motives in getting to know him.

So, he said nothing and took another bite of the burger.

While Aomine was just finishing his second burger, Kagami was starting on his sixth.

The model stared at him in equal parts horror and fascination. He hadn't believed the chef when he said that they would be able to finish all the food.

"Do you have a black hole in your stomach or something?"

Because Kagami apparently had manners, he finished chewing before responding. "I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe you're just a dainty eater."

" _Dainty_? I'll show you!"

Aomine did not show him.

"You monster," he groaned at the nonchalant Kagami, who was polishing off his fifteenth burger. (Aomine gave up after his ninth.)

"Only an Ahomine would challenge me to an eating contest."

"You - Bakagami! You haven't even named your restaurant yet; you can't call me an idiot."

Kagami groaned. "Don't remind me. It's not my fault I'm the worst at naming things."

Aomine sat up.

"How about," he made an expansive gesture with his hands, " _Basketburger_."

The scarlet-eyed man stared blankly at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. "I take it back. I'm not the worst; you are. That's the stupidest-sounding name I've ever heard!"

Aomine was briefly sidetracked by how good it felt to hear Kagami laugh. His heart was beating as fast as when he played basketball. (He should really go see a doctor about this impending cold.)

Then, he defended himself. "From what you've been saying, it sounds like your two favorite things to do are play basketball and cook. Doesn't it make sense that the name of your first restaurant should have to do with both things?"

Kagami stared at him again, though with a different light in his eyes. Finally, he said, "That was surprisingly eloquent of you, Ahomine."

Aomine was feeling a little embarrassed, so he ignored the insulting moniker and changed the subject. "This was pretty sly of you to feed me. I'm too full to properly destroy you in basketball."

Kagami's lips twitched. "Guess you're not _up_ for giving me that ass-pounding after all."

The emphasis that the chef had put on "up" sparked something in his mind.

Oh. _Oh._

"I didn't mean that!" he insisted hastily. "I-I'm not gay. I fuck supermodels!" 

Kagami shrugged. "I slept with a Calvin Klein underwear model once, though he wasn't very good."

He seemed to be watching Aomine carefully for his reaction.

It took a moment for Aomine to reestablish his groundings, but eventually the model smirked purposefully. "I know I'm hot, but don't fall in love with me."

Kagami relaxed. "Don't worry, idiots aren't my type."

Aomine should be glad that Kagami wasn't going to get the wrong idea.

But for some reason, he felt a little disappointed.

 

 

 

Kagami had lied.

Aomine was exactly his type - physically at least. He was way hotter than the Calvin Klein model Kagami had fucked.

However, the navy-haired man seemed like an asshole, and more importantly, he said that he was straight. Kagami didn't screw with straight men; it was a one-way road to heartbreak.

But even if Aomine was kind of a jerk, he didn't seem like a bad guy. He was also amazing at basketball.

Kagami wished Alex could see this guy play, because it would blow away her preconceptions about Asian men playing basketball. She had even said cheerfully, "Don't get shitty while you're in Japan, or I'll fly over there and whip you back into shape."

Though, speaking of attraction, Kagami was getting some pretty strong signals from his brother figure. Himuro was really hot, albeit in a different way than Aomine. The girls had been all over him when they were younger, and although they didn't really talk about their relationships, Kagami knew that Himuro had dated quite a few people.

A potential relationship between the two of them would be a little incestuous since they had ran around calling each other "brother, brother" for so many years, but Kagami felt like he might not be completely adverse to trying something with Himuro. He'd wait and see what happened.

Kagami stretched. He was also really full; he had perhaps eaten more than he usually did just to rub it in Aomine's face. Aomine had left a while ago, after inputting his number into Kagami's cellphone and ordering him to call him for a rematch.

Suddenly, Kagami remembered Suzuna's comment about his mailbox. He hadn't known he had one, actually.

He poked his head outside, and there it was. Below his eye-level and blending into the wall, which is why Kagami had never noticed it. As Suzuna had said, it was overfilling with envelopes.

_Let's see. An invitation to the neighborhood barbeque, advertisement, bills, bills, junk mail - huh._

He separated a fancy-looking envelope from the pile. In neat hiragana, the outside of the envelope read, "To Taiga Kagami."

Curious, he looked inside and found a check. That - was a lot of zeroes. He did the conversion in his head, and that was still a lot of zeroes. It was written by Tetsuya Kuroko "for services rendered."

Kagami momentarily considered texting Aomine to ask him what the hell that quiet friend of his was thinking. But, it was probably a joke or a misplacement of a decimal point. He would keep the check for now and return it to Kuroko when he visited the shop again.

He shook his head bemusedly.

_Kids these days._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> La la la, spot the cameo! Also, leave it to these two idiots to be domestic before they even get together.


	9. countdown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's almost time for the grand opening of Kagami's restaurant. Let's take a look at what he's doing to prepare for it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been for-fucking-ever since the last chapter.  
> I think I've admitted this before, but I've never actually read the Kuroko no Basuke manga. So, my characterizations are completely fanon-based, and I don't have any canon motivation.  
> Well, a new chapter of "Invincible" came out, and it got me back on the AoKaga wagon. So you can thank the other wonderful AoKaga authors and artists in the fandom for this update!

 

_Five._

 

A few drinks into the "Congratulations-on-being-hired-for-a-shitty-minimum-wage-job" celebration, Suzuna and Sugawara finally relaxed around Kagami. That is to say, they stopped any pretenses of showing him respect - if Suzuna had been trying at all in the first place.  

"Basically the only things finished are the menu and the physical restaurant. I wanted to write up a press release about the grand opening and advertise in the local newspaper. But kanji is hard. Also, the deadline for submissions was yesterday, so that's not happening anymore," Kagami explained. "I'm going to need you guys to bring at least one person each to the opening party."

"You're so bad at this," said an awed Suzuna. "How are you so bad at this?"

Kagami snapped, "Remind me why I hired you again?"

The effect was slightly lessened by the fact that it was the fifth time the chef had threatened to rescind her job offer.

Nonetheless, Sugawara chose to go a more diplomatic route. "Kagami-san, I noticed that you don't have a storefront sign up. Have you not yet come up with a name for your restaurant?"

Kagami scratched his cheek. "Oh yeah. There's that, too."

Picking his words delicately, Sugawara said, "Ah - not to rush your decision, but it seems like naming your restaurant is something that you ought to do sooner than later."

Suzuna chimed in, "The grand opening is in two weeks. Also, Sugawara-kun and I have to write in place of employment on our student employment forms by next Monday. Chop-chop, Boss."

Kagami groaned. "I know, I know. I just haven't been able to decide yet."

"What are you deciding between? Maybe we can help you pick the restaurant name. Ooh! Maybe we can write all the possibilities down on wheel and spin it!" Suzuna suggested eagerly.

"That - does not sound like the best way to choose a semi-permanent name for an establishment," Sugawara said weakly.

Five drinks and a game of darts later, Kagami plucked the dart out of the board to Suzuna's cheers and Sugawara's resigned sighs. The chef squinted at the perforated paper beneath.

"'Court' it is!" Kagami announced.

 

_Four._

 

After hearing about his latest out-of-country assignment (an article about sewage systems in rural China or something like that - Takao was much more intellectual than he appeared), Kagami finally broached the subject.

"So...I met 'Shin-chan' recently."

Takao leaned across the table. "That's right! At the film premiere! I had no idea you knew Himuro Tatsuya. I barely recognized you in those red carpet photos."

"That's kind of the point," Kagami said dryly. 

"Do you know how long my co-worker in the entertainment section has been speculating about Himuro's 'Promised One'?" Takao demanded. "She's looking for you right now. There's a price on your head!"

Kagami cringed. "Now I'm even more grateful that no one recognized me. And - me and Tatsuya, we're not like that. The ring was a brotherly promise."

"As a journalist, I'll be the first one to admit that photographs can be misinterpreted. However, in that picture, it sure as hell looked as if you two were 'like that.'"

"Honestly, I used to have the hugest crush on him when we were kids." Kagami circled the rim of his glass with a finger. "We haven't seen each other in years since he left L.A., but Tatsuya's always been a smooth operator. And...I don't exactly have the best record of understanding what's going on in his head."

"Say he does have 'unbrotherly' intentions. Would you take him up on his offer?" Takao prompted.

Kagami shrugged, still tracing circles on the rim of his cup.

Takao inquired slyly, "Is there someone else you're thinking of right now?"

Kagami jolted up in his seat and then stared at Takao accusingly.

"Hawkeye, remember?" Takao said smugly, pointing to his left eye.

The words came slowly at first and then faster as Kagami was spurred on by the need to unload his thoughts.

"It's just this guy who lives nearby. I've hung out with him a few times at the local basketball court, but the only things I know about him are that he's scorching hot, brilliant at basketball, and that he likes to eat teriyaki burgers. I don't even know what he does for a living! He's probably straight anyway; Aomine's pretty insistent on shoving proof of his heterosexual masculinity down my throat."

Takao choked. "A-Aomine, you said?"

"Yeah, Aomine Daiki. Arrogant as you can get, says stupid shit like, 'The only one who can beat me is me.' But damn, can he back it up."

Unaware that he had drifted off while picturing Aomine in his head, Kagami grinned slightly.

Takao said slowly, "That...is very interesting, Kagami. You should invite him to your grand opening. Along with Himuro too, of course."

"Maybe. You planning to come?"

"Sure, I'll bring Shin-chan!" Takao said cheerfully.

"I don't think Court is the type of restaurant where famous people hang out." 

"Oh, I think you'll be surprised. And Shin-chan isn't that picky - just make sure to have some red bean soup there."

As they split up, Takao called, "I'm looking forward to Court's grand opening! I predict that it will be quite entertaining!"

Kagami called back in response, "I don't know why everyone in my life feels the need to drop cryptic bullshit like that, but okay! See you soon!"

Takao hummed "It's a Small World" all the way to the train stop.

 

_Three._

 

"How is my crimson-tressed companion doing today?"

"You're hilarious, Tatsuya. Hear how hard I'm laughing?"

"You can't see me right now, but I'm taking a bow."

"Ugh. You're not invited anymore to Court's grand opening."

"'Court'? You finally came up with a name. That's a shame: 'Soon-to-be-named Restaurant' had a nice ring to it."

"Yeah, well, I threw darts at a board with my new waitstaff."

"That...sounds exactly like something you would do. I do like the name though. 'Court' has layers of meaning."

"Right, like a basketball 'court' or a food 'court.'"

"'Court,' the royal retinue of a sovereign. If we consider the verb form, it could also mean to pursue or try to win over. To tempt, to attract, to... _woo_."

"..."

"I can practically hear you blushing, Taiga."

"...that's enough out of you, Tatsuya."

 

_Two._

 

"It's the smartass kid again! You're just in time to try my new vanilla milkshake recipe! But what did I say about trespassing?"

"To refrain from doing it," Kuroko replied dutifully, then added, "And it is Kuroko Tetsuya, Kagami. Not 'smartass kid.'"

Winking, Kagami slid over a malt cup. "Eh, 'smartass kid' is catchier. But I guess I could stand to call you Kuroko."

Kuroko took a cautious sip of the beverage. His eyes widened. "This is-!"

"Like it? I based the recipe off of the milkshakes from the diner I used to work at."

Kuroko would have responded, but he was occupied sucking the last of the milkshake from the bottom of the cup.

"And people say that I go through food fast!" Kagami commented.

Once he finished bracing through a brain freeze, Kuroko replied, "I am particularly fond of vanilla milkshakes. I promise that I do not normally eat like a pig."

"I'm glad that you liked - hey, wait! Are you calling me a pig?"

Smoothly changing the subject (because he would not risk alienating the source of the best vanilla milkshake he had ever consumed), Kuroko inquired, "Did you receive your modeling compensation, Kagami?"

"Right, thanks for reminding me." The chef rummaged through a drawer, pulling out the elegant linen-weave envelope. "Kuroko, you need to be more careful. If you misplace decimals like this while writing checks, you can get in serious trouble."

"..."

"You're lucky it was just me. If you wrote a check like this to somebody else, they might have actually brought it to the bank!"

"..."

Finally, Kuroko uttered, "Kagami is kind." _And very dense_. "But please - hold onto the check for the time being. I believe it will serve as a...humorous story in the future about misunderstandings in our friendship."

"If you say so," Kagami replied skeptically, returning the envelope to the drawer.

Then, he brightened. "By the way, when is that exhibit of yours? I'll stop by: show my support, bring you a shake."

"The 'exhibit' opens on the 4th. It will be outside on the streets of Shibuya Crossing. I can message you more details as the date of the unveiling gets closer."

"Shibuya Crossing? That's prime real estate; no wonder you're showing your works on the sidewalk. I couldn't afford renting a shack for a day in downtown Tokyo!"

"The sponsor of the show chose Shibuya for the large amount of foot traffic in the area," Kuroko agreed.

"And your exhibit is pretty soon after the grand opening of my restaurant. Which you should definitely attend!" The chef turned sheepish. "And, uh, bring a couple of friends if you can. I forgot to send in the press release about Court's opening by the newspaper deadline, so I'm hoping to get people to come through word of mouth."

"My friends lead busy lives, but I will try to bring my boyfriend," Kuroko promised.

_And my boyfriend will probably bring along many other people with his sheer presence._

"Great!" Kagami beamed. "At this rate, I'll have at least ten people at the grand opening!"

 

_One._

 

"M-Momoi-san," Sakurai whispered, "is Aomine-san ill?"

Momoi glanced to her left. Aomine was absentmindedly bouncing a basketball against the wall, which wasn't out of place. However, he was doing it with a smile - not a smirk! - and with eyes that gazed dreamily off into the distance. Every once in a while, he would suddenly burst into a laugh or a thoughtful brood or even a slight blush.

Momoi thought of a file and a photo and a city work order and had to hide a smile herself. "He's sick alright - with a serious case of the _lovebug_." She said the last part in English.

"Lahvoo bahgoo? Oh no! Is it a curable disease?"

She chuckled. "Heh, it's a common affliction, but Daiki has never been exposed before. There's only one cure, and I have a feeling that he will be resolving it on his own."

At that moment, Aomine's phone beeped. He had separate ringtones for different friends, and this particular one had been a new but frequent sound to their ears in the past few weeks. The speed with which Aomine reached for his phone nearly made Momoi break out into laughter again.

After quickly scanning the screen, he lifted his head. "Oi, Satsuki. Ryou. You're coming with me to something this Friday."

Sakurai protested, "But Aomine! You have a shoot that day with -"

"Cancel it."

"But-!"

Seeing that Aomine was already no longer paying attention, Sakurai gave her a pleading look to intervene.

Momoi readied herself to give Aomine some trouble over his unreasonable demands. But not too much trouble this time.

After all, she needed to meet the man that had brought the old Aomine Daiki back. How else was Momoi going thank him in person?

 

 

 

 

_Zero._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fame Chart, for reference!
> 
> A-lister = household name, you've got the paps on you whenever you go out in public  
> B-lister = top of your respective field, probably you have a cult tumblr following  
> C-lister = well-known within your field, not so much out of it
> 
> Kise: A+  
> Aomine: A  
> Midorima: A  
> Akashi: A-  
> Murasakibara: A-  
> Kuroko: C, his non-presence is made up for the fact that his work and therefore name are actually pretty popular  
> Himuro: B+  
> Takao: C+  
> Momoi: C  
> Sakurai: D, lol  
> Kagami: C
> 
> Next chapter is where shit hits the fan, in a good way. :)


	10. the grand opening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Worlds collide. The grand opening is a bit of a shitshow, but at least it's entertaining.

Her new boss was kind of an idiot, Suzuna reflected. But that was okay, because he was nice, talented, and attractive to boot. (What? She might be dating Sena, but there was no rule against looking.)

Sensible Mamori said, "Um, Suzuna? I'm not sure if you should be saying that."

"Especially when your boss is standing right here," growled Kagami.

"Eh, you know you love being disrespected. And...there! Finished." Suzuna patted the whiteboard stand proudly.

Temporarily distracted, he questioned, "What were you writing, anyway?"

Suzuna struggled to cap the marker with her mouth. "Isha soshul mia camain."

"It's a notice for a social media campaign," Mamori translated. At Kagami's blank look, she elaborated, "The customer who gets the most hits on a post about your restaurant will win a prize."

"And what sort of prize would that be?"

Straightening up from her crouch on the sidewalk, Suzuna shrugged. "A surprise? I thought I would leave that up to you for once. I can't think of _everything_ for you, boss."

"I daily regret my decision to hire you."

Mamori looked alarmed for Suzuna's livelihood, so she confided conspiratorially, "This is the third time today he's said that. It's basically a greeting for us at this point."

Kagami threw up his hands in disgust. "Ugh. Where's Sugawara? He's so much easier to deal with than you."

"Here, Kagami!" Sugawara called from inside the store. "Yachi-chan and I are putting up the streamers."

"Yachi? Hey, you're a customer. You shouldn't be helping me set up!" Kagami exclaimed.

A trembling voice piped up, "It's no trouble at all, Mr. Kagami!"

"Considering how unprepared we are, we need all the help we can get," Suzuna added.

"Is that right? Feel free to enlist my help as well, Taiga."

Suzuna turned around, and _whoa_. Major hottie alert! There stood two men, one freakishly tall with purple hair and one with the sexiest beauty mark she had seen outside of Marilyn Monroe.

She watched with raised eyebrows as beauty mark guy proceeded to embrace her boss. Was "embrace" an exaggeration? No, that was definitely the right word for it; Suzuna was pretty sure she saw a cheek kiss somewhere in there.

Kagami was beaming. "Tatsuya! You made it!"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Taiga."

The two men probably would have continued gazing into each others' eyes for longer if the purple-haired dude didn't interrupt with a, "Oh, it's weird eyebrow guy. Muro-chin, you didn't tell me you were bringing me to weird eyebrow guy's place."

Kagami took a step back. "Gah! You again?!"

"You two know each other?" beauty mark guy (Tatsuya? Muro-chin?) asked with a furrowed brow.

A scowling Kagami replied, "He broke into my restaurant and demanded food," at the same time that the purple-haired man said, "The bad man made me eat carrots."

"I can sort of guess what happened. Atsushi has a habit of following his nose and a strong dislike for vegetables."

Mamori suddenly exclaimed, "Oh! You're Murasakibara-san! You did that amazing series on the best cream puffs in Tokyo."

The purple-haired man, Murasakibara apparently, mused nostalgically, "That was a good week."

"A food critic, huh?" Kagami said. "Gotta say, that was the strangest undercover review I've ever experienced."

"Wasn't an official review." Murasakibara took a deep whiff. "Hm. You used smoked gouda instead of brie this time."

"How did you...? I guess that's what you meant by 'following his nose.' Ah, that's right. I should introduce you guys. Tatsuya, this is one of my employees, Suzuna, and her guest, Mamori. Suzuna, Mamori; this is my friend Himuro Tatsuya and his guest Murasakibara Atsushi."

"Pleased to meet you, ladies," Himuro said with a slight bow and mysterious half-smile.

"Friend" - yeah right. Not with that predatory gleam in his visible eye. Kagami better watch out; this guy was a charming one.

 

 

Yachi didn't have much experience with grand openings, but she assumed that Court's was not the best example of a typical one.

For one, normal grand openings tended not to enlist their customers in their set up. She didn't mind, of course. Her time as the Karasuno manager had gotten Yachi used to offering a helping hand, and Kagami promised a free milkshake for her troubles.

Secondly, normal grand openings were usually, well, grander. Burger places weren't usually very fancy, but this grand opening was more casual than the time a new Maji's chain opened by the university.

Sugawara had told her that Kagami was a returnee from the United States and had forgotten to advertise the opening of Court in the newspapers. Instead, Kagami had decided to rely on word-of-mouth, which didn't seem to be working too well at first. Sugawara brought her and Suzuna brought Mamori, so they had a grand total of 2 non-employees in the restaurant. At least, until the arrival of the next customers. That was when things began getting even stranger.

Yachi nearly had a heart attack when she saw Himuro Tatsuya step into Court.

"Sugawara!" she whispered urgently, "How does Kagami-san know Himuro Tatsuya? He's a really successful designer."

"Can't say I know who Himuro Tatsuya is; I'm not really into that fashion and design stuff. That is surprising though, I didn't think Kagami had friends like that," Sugawara whispered back.

Suzuna joined the conversation. "According to Mamori, that purple-haired guy next to him is Murasakibara Atsushi, one of Japan's top food critics."

"Kagami-san is very well-connected for someone who just arrived in Japan," Mamori noted.

That, of course, was the moment when the bell over the door jingled again, and star actor Midorima Shintaro walked in.

"That's Dr. Midorima!" Sugawara blurted out. They all shot him curious glances. The sports medicine student blushed, mumbling, "You know, GEN:Hospital is actually quite medically accurate for a drama."

Yachi recognized Midorima too, both as Dr. Sexy from the guilty pleasure medical melodrama and as the main character from the recent fantasy blockbuster. She didn't recognize his companion, but at this rate, it was probably safe to assume that he was well-known too. This was definitely not the typical clientele for a burger shop grand opening. 

By the time supermodel Aomine Daiki pushed open the front door (Suzuna nearly fainted), Yachi was already resigned to the fact that this was the strangest grand opening she had ever attended.

Though that didn't stop her from following Suzuna into unconsciousness when talk show host Kise Ryouta made his entrance.

Yachi was never going to underestimate burgers again.

 

 

"And, and, you can't tell any embarrassing stories. Got it, Satsuki?"

"Geez, Dai-chan. You must really want to impress Kagami."

"No calling me Dai-chan either!"

Sakurai Ryou was officially in the twilight zone. That was the only explanation for how strangely Aomine was acting. He had cancelled today's shoot - one with a former gravure model too! - to go to the grand opening of a burger place.

Having been Aomine's manager/punching bag for the last few years, Sakurai was accustomed to his mercurial personality and random whims. But this took the cake. Court wasn't a fancy restaurant; it didn't even have a website yet! Heck, Sakurai had scanned online for information about this Court without finding a single notice of this grand opening.

"Are you sure this grand opening is today?" he had to ask again.

Aomine spared him a brief glance. "Kagami said it was."

And this Kagami Taiga person! Momoi had said he was an American chef, apparently a good one. Had he fed Aomine poisoned food or something? Sakurai couldn't think of another reason behind his client's altered behavior. 

But it was too late to convince Aomine to not attend Court's grand opening. Once Aomine decided something, it was a done deal. Resignedly, he followed Aomine and Momoi into the restaurant.

Upon entering, Sakurai had to blink several times in disbelief. It was a who's who of the industry gathering. Consequently, it was also a gathering of former high school basketball players. He spotted Midorima and Takao, tight-knit as always, as well as Murasakibara and Himuro. 

"Mine-chin!"

"Oho Asa did say there would be an unexpected meeting of signs on this day."

"What the fuck are you two doing here?" said the ever-tactful Aomine.

The two former Miracles pointed to their respective companions in explanation.

Takao waved. "Hi! I met Kagami on the plane over from L.A."

Himuro inclined his head in greeting. "Kagami is a _dear_ friend of mine. We grew up together. May I ask what brings _you_ here today, Aomine?"

"I was invited, same as you." Aomine jutted out his chin.

Himuro and Aomine would have gotten into a stare-off, but the mysterious Kagami took that moment to come out from behind the counter. He was tall, handsome, and had a rainbow-hued hair color. In other words, he fit right in with the Miracles.

"Aomine, thanks for coming."

Then he smiled, and Sakurai took back his assessment. There was no way Kagami could fit in with the Miracles; he was way too nice. Though clearly he was a miracle of some sort, since they proceeded to bear witness to the once-in-a-lifetime sight of a tongue-tied, blushing Aomine Daiki.

"K-Kagami. Hi. It's me. Uh, you said to stop by. And bring someone. So, I brought someone. Someones. Uh."

Sakurai never thought he would say this about Aomine, but the model was acting seriously uncool.

Momoi took pity on her friend. "Hello, Kagami-san! My name is Momoi Satsuki. I've heard so much about you from Aomine-kun; I feel like I know you already. Congratulations on your restaurant opening."

"I-it's nice t-to meet you, Kagami. I'm Sakurai Ryou, Aomine's manager," Sakurai introduced himself.

"Manager? I thought Aomine was a NEET." said Kagami.

This finally broke Aomine out of his stupor. "What?! When did I ever say I was a NEET? I'm employed. I'm like super-employed!"

"You sure have a lot of free time for someone who's 'super-employed.' And you keep mooching off of me for meals - what was I supposed to think, _Aho_ mine?"

"You know what? Here!" Aomine slammed a 10,000 yen note on the counter. "Give me an Aomine special."

Kagami looked down at the note and then up again. "Dude, are you really using a 10,000 yen note to pay for a 1,000 yen burger? That's so obnoxious."

" _Baka_ gami, you're supposed to keep the change!"

Kagami addressed Sakurai. "I know you're his keeper, but you should at least have him learn some life skills for when he wanders off without you. Even I know the difference between a 10,000 yen note and an 1,000 yen note, and I've only been in Tokyo for a few months."

"Aaargh!" went Aomine, and Sakurai could feel a smile stretching on his lips. He finally understood Momoi's sly comments over the past week.

Sakurai had been mistaken: Aomine wasn't poisoned by Kagami, he was _intoxicated_ by him.

 

 

Kagami looked around with slight disappointment. "You know, I was really hoping to at least get ten people at this grand opening."

"Haven't you heard of quality over quantity?" Aomine said.

Kagami stared blankly back at him. "I don't see how that applies to this situation."

Takao was choking on his drink again. He had done that several times this afternoon already; the guy really needed to do something about his gag reflex.

Aomine tried to salvage his comment. "I meant that I should count for ten people at least."

God, Aomine was hot but kind of stupid sometimes.

Kagami turned to Sakurai again. "Did you not teach him about orders of magnitude, is that it?"

"I understand the difference between ten and one!"

Actually, the choking sounds from Takao's corner sounded a lot like laughter.

"Anyway, I invited Kuroko, but it looks like he's not coming. It's a shame. He and his boyfriend would have brought the count up to 11. By the way, that's ten plus one, Aomine."

Aomine's curiosity won over his need to defend his numerical abilities. "You invited Tetsu?"

Takao stopped laughing/choking. "Kuroko. Kuroko Tetsuya? But he's dating..."

The door was flung open so hard that it hit the wall.

"Good afternoon everyone! Kise Ryouta has arrived; the party may now begin!"

Kagami heard Aomine mutter, "I swear to God, if Akashi shows up next, I am going to have a fucking aneurysm." He didn't recognize the name, so he elected to ignore the comment.

"Kise, right? I didn't know you knew about the grand opening," Kagami said.

"I will forgive Kagamicchi for not directly inviting me since I found out about it anyway. I'm here as Kurokocchi's date!"

"Kurokocchi. You mean-?"

"Hello Kagami-kun," uttered a quiet voice.

Even having been somewhat prepared this time, Kagami still jumped headfirst into a light fixture.

"Dammit, Kuroko. Someone needs to put a bell on you!" he cursed.

"No flirting with my boyfriend, Kagamicchi!" Kise teased. "You've got Himuro already, don't you?"

Kagami was not touching the second half of that sentence with a ten-foot pole. He addressed Kuroko instead. "I didn't know you two were dating."

"I was similarly unaware that you were acquainted with Kise," Kuroko countered.

"Movie premiere," Kagami explained. "Hey - isn't it weird dating a celebrity as a college student?"

Kise cocked his head. "But Kurokocchi's not a college student; he's a professional -"

Kuroko elbowed him in the side. "It looks like you succeeded in reaching at least ten attendees, Kagami-kun. Congratulations."

Kagami brightened up. "You're right! With you guys, that makes eleven. See, Aomine? Quantity _and_ quality."

"Aominecchi?" Kise finally took in the people assembled. "I knew Midorimacchi was coming, but the rest of you guys? Ehhh? Was this supposed to be a Miracles reunion or something? How come no one invited Akashi?"

Takao finally lost the battle. Cackling so hard he had tears in his eyes, he said, "Oh Kagami, I'd really like to thank the trickster god who deemed that we should sit next to each other on that plane. Really, you couldn't _pay_ for entertainment like this."

Kagami was very lost. "Okay, I don't really understand anything that's happened today, besides the fact that you seem to all know each other and a few of you are famous or something."

He looked longingly at the counter that he had unwisely exited. Everything had been simpler back in the kitchen.

"Can we just eat burgers now?" Kagami asked plaintively. 

"Ah, you may want to make another batch," Kuroko suggested delicately. "I do not think however much you prepared so far will be enough."

"Huh? I made enough for fifteen of me, though. That's usually enough."

"Kise tweeted about Court's grand opening five minutes ago," Kuroko explained apologetically. "It's about time."

In the distance, Kagami could hear the stampeding footsteps of fangirls. The blood drained from his face.

"Oh _shit_."

 


	11. secondary revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, the Generation of Miracles are hot shit or something.

Later that night, Kagami was sprawled on the floor next to Sugawara and Suzuna.

"I...hate...you," Suzuna wheezed.

"That was way out of our paygrade," agreed Sugawara, who was slumped against the counter.

"Look at it this way: Court seems like it's going to be pretty popular. That's good for your job security," Kagami said helpfully.

Without consulting each other, they both raised their middle fingers. Their synchronicity had reached a new level after undergoing the trial by fire that was rush hour from Hell - Kagami was so proud. 

"'Pretty' popular, yeah right," Suzuna grumbled, "I added zeros to all of the prices, and we still ran out of food in two hours." 

Kagami examined his ingredient station to take inventory. There was one sad tomato left on the cutting board. "That food was supposed to last us the next three days."

"Guess we're getting the next three days off then," Suzuna said, eyes daring him to contradict her.

Kagami sighed. "Yeah. Kuroko invited me to his photography show this weekend anyway. Might as well go since there's no way we're serving anybody tomorrow."

"Photography show?" Sugawara prompted.

"It's in Shibuya Crossing, if you guys want to come."

"How'd he swing that kind of location?" Suzuna asked incredulously.

"He didn't give me a specific address, so I'm pretty sure it's going to be on the street. Something casual."

"I can't make it," Sugawara said apologetically, "Yachi is a graphic design student, and she offered to make Court a website. Given how busy today was, I'm pretty sure we need it up sooner than later, and I promised to help her with it tomorrow afternoon. You owe her free fries for a year for that, by the way."

"Same here," Suzuna responded, "I thought we had more time, but I need to get your social media channels up ASAP. I would do it today, but I can't feel my arms anymore after carrying all those plates."

"Don't you think you guys are exaggerating a little bit? Today was a mess, but it's not like Kise is coming every day. Surely it won't be this crowded in the future."

"Kagami..." Sugawara said pityingly.

Suzuna was more vocal. "You're an idiot, boss. Didn't you see Murasakibara taking photos with his phone? Mamori said that he was a really famous food critic, and I'm pretty sure he's going to write a review of Court within a week. We're going to have an influx of foodies soon. Plus, you had an insanely star-studded guest list. The fangirls and fanboys are going to be hanging around this place for months, just hoping to catch a glimpse of one of your celebrity friends. Not to mention that your food is really good and affordable, even considering the price hike we used to try to decrease demand. You're going to have lines winding around the block for the foreseeable future."

Kagami let his head thump against the tile. "Somehow I thought having a successful grand opening was supposed to feel better than this."

Suzuna said unsympathetically, "Welcome to fame and fortune. Good luck with that."

Staring up at his own face in high definition LED-display in the middle of downtown Tokyo the next day, Kagami thought that maybe he should have taken her warning more seriously. 

Kagami watched the Nike advertisement play through for a few more moments before pulling out his phone. He got everyone's phone numbers yesterday but hadn't thought that he'd need to use them so soon.

He took a photo of the billboard and sent it to Kuroko and Aomine, captioning Kuroko's with, _You little shit, what kind of college student has their work displayed on a Shibuya Crossing billboard?_ and Aomine's with a succinct, _???_

Kuroko responded immediately. _The type of college student that isn't actually a college student but a professional photographer. You should probably deposit the check soon, by the way._

It took a moment for Kagami to understand what check he was referring to, and then it hit him. Holy fuck, the check wasn't a mistake? He tried to remember how many zeros had been on the check that he had unceremoniously shoved into the drawer along with his spatulas and couldn't.

When more than one passerby did a double-take at him and then his digital self above, Kagami decided it was time to leave.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Aomine simply wrote, _Told you I was employed._

 

 

 

Kagami resolutely refused to check the Internet. Unfortunately, everyone else had decided to check it for him.

Himuro sent him a link to a post by the same reporter who had written the first article about them. This time, it was less focused on Himuro and more focused on Kagami. Kagami saw the title, "Mystery Model Strikes Again," along with the thumbnail of the Nike advertisement and made an executive decision to not subject himself to the wild speculation that no doubt constituted the entirety of the article. Small favors - it seemed that she hadn't discovered his identity yet. He'd gladly take "Mystery Model" over his actual name.

Himuro: _You never model for me! :(_

Kagami: _Didn't know I was modeling at the time._

Himuro _: You and Aomine Daiki, huh?  
_

Kagami: _Notice how you haven't actually asked a question._

Himuro: _Someone's being evasive._

Sugawara passive-aggressively forwarded him articles speculating on the mysterious, website-less new restaurant on Sakura Avenue. Reporters were scrambling to find information about the burger restaurant that appeared out of nowhere to woo an A-class clientele, but the lack of digital presence anywhere was making it extremely difficult to research. They had an address, a name, and photos that people had posted on social media, and that was it. One writer speculated that Court had purposely eschewed a website as part of a complicated marketing strategy. Ha ha, no.

Similarly, Suzuna forwarded a message from Mamori. It was a link to Murasakibara's food blog, where he had reviewed Court. Kagami took in the crooked photo of a veggie burger and kindergarten-level written description below: "The burger was tasty. Kagami is a good cook. You should check Court out. Later though, I think they're out of food right now."

That was kind of underwhelming praise, Kagami thought, until he scrolled down further to the comments. They were flipping out. One commenter said, " _Murasakibara-san hasn't been so effusive with his praises since he reviewed that Michelin-starred ramen restaurant._ " Another said, " _Wow, he never rates vegetable dishes positively. I'm definitely putting Court on my list._

Kagami wondered if they were reading a different review than he was.

Suzuna explained, _According to Mamori, that was the verbal equivalent of him crowning you Tokyo King of Burgers or something. AKA, we are FUCKED the next time we open. Twitter handle is up, btw. I made you a personal account (don't argue with me about this) and a business account for Court._

He didn't argue. Suzuna had even chosen a relatively flattering photo of him for the avatar. The username was kind of stupid though: tigerbright10. On the restaurant account, Suzuna had already re-tweeted several posts, mostly articles speculating about their restaurant and posts from their "special guests" at the grand opening.

Kise (kisecchi) had the most followers by far which explained the stampede yesterday, but Midorima (midoshin) was a close second and even he had captioned a picture of his red bean smoothie as, "Adequate." Takao had a few thousand, but he refrained from posting any location-tagged pictures since his relationship with Midorima was still a secret. Instead, he had settled for re-blogging a fellow writer's conspiracy theory about Court being the next celebrity hang-out place, the asshole.

Aomine (iamthebest5, Jesus Christ) of all people was the third most popular on social media. Apparently, he was Japan's top male supermodel. Kagami had already established how hot he thought Aomine was, so it was unexpected but not shocking. Aomine seemed to mostly post pictures of himself, which Kagami totally could have predicted, but he also recently tweeted, "Make sure to get the teriyaki burger at Court. It's the Aomine special." Bastard.

He had also changed his profile picture to that of a still from Kuroko's shoot. Kagami was cropped out, obviously, but the Aomine avatar was looking off to the side, eyes challenging...someone. Him.

Kagami felt a little heated from staring at the photo too long. He went to lie down on cool linoleum again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Shorter than usual, but better than nothing, I hope. I've been working on a HP/TRC crossover for the most part.


End file.
